Health & Medicine

The Museum's collections of medical science artifacts represent nearly all aspects of health and medical practice. Highlights include early X-ray apparatuses, such as one of Wilhelm Roentgen's tubes, penicillin mold from Alexander Fleming’s experiments, and Jonas Salk's original polio vaccine. More recent acquisitions include the first artificial heart implanted in a human, the earliest genetically engineered drugs, and materials related to David, the "Bubble Boy." Other artifacts range from artificial limbs and implant devices to bloodletting and dental instruments, beauty products, and veterinary equipment. The contents of a medieval apothecary shop and an 1890s drugstore form part of the collections, along with patent and alternative medicines. The collections also document the many differing perspectives on health and medical issues, from patients, family members, doctors, nurses, medical students, and out-of-the-mainstream health practitioners.

Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.080
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.080
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
1985.0475.812
accession number
1985.0475
catalog number
1985.0475.812
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.124
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.124
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.Currently not on view
Description
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.077
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.077
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
1980.0186.153
catalog number
1980.0186.153
accession number
1980.0186
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2000
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2002.0098.10
accession number
2002.0098
catalog number
2002.0098.10
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2017.0184.090
catalog number
2017.0184.090
accession number
2017.0184
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.Currently not on view
Description
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.078
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.078
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1960s
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
1985.0475.817
accession number
1985.0475
catalog number
1985.0475.817
Inventors have developed products to reduce the risk of infection. Health care workers now routinely disable or dispose of used needles in secure "sharps" containers.Currently not on view
Description
Inventors have developed products to reduce the risk of infection. Health care workers now routinely disable or dispose of used needles in secure "sharps" containers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 2007
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.141
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.141
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1960s
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
1985.0475.820
catalog number
1985.0475.820
accession number
1985.0475
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1935
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
MG.M-12732
catalog number
M-12732
accession number
315330
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.Currently not on view
Description
Disposable syringe used for small pox immunization. The syringe is split into two pieces, and must be assembled at the time of use.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.075
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.075
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.082
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.082
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2000
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2006.0146.11
catalog number
2006.0146.11
accession number
2006.0146
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2012.0165.123.01
catalog number
2012.0165.123.01
accession number
2012.0165
maker number
P826G 4011
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 2005
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.121
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.121
Jonas Salk used this syringe during the testing of his polio vaccine. In the early tests carried out in 1952 and 1953, Salk gave all the vaccinations himself. The first subjects included children at the D. T.
Description
Jonas Salk used this syringe during the testing of his polio vaccine. In the early tests carried out in 1952 and 1953, Salk gave all the vaccinations himself. The first subjects included children at the D. T. Watson Home for Crippled Children, residents of the Polk State Home, Salk, and members of his laboratory staff. In 1953, the first community-based, pilot vaccine trial was carried out with volunteer families in the Pittsburgh area. A second pilot trial included thousands of Pittsburgh schoolchildren. The success of these early tests paved the way for the Salk Vaccine National Field Trial of 1954.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
MG.221419.07
catalog number
221419.07
accession number
221419
White and gray plastic blood glucose monitor with LCD display panel and blue button on the front. Handwritten "83" on front of blood glucose monitor; simulated test strip protrudes from the top end. Barcode on the back.Currently not on view
Description
White and gray plastic blood glucose monitor with LCD display panel and blue button on the front. Handwritten "83" on front of blood glucose monitor; simulated test strip protrudes from the top end. Barcode on the back.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2014.0140.06
accession number
2014.0140
catalog number
2014.0140.06
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.081
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.081
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1997
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2001.0113.2
catalog number
2001.0113.2
accession number
2001.0113
Herbert Busher, a physician in St Paul, Minnesota, designed a hypodermic syringe particularly for the self-administration of insulin. This example was made by Becton-Dickinson in New Jersey.
Description
Herbert Busher, a physician in St Paul, Minnesota, designed a hypodermic syringe particularly for the self-administration of insulin. This example was made by Becton-Dickinson in New Jersey. One label on the cardboard box reads “B-D INSULIN SYRINGE / For use with / 20 OR 40 UNIT INSULIN / BECTON, DICKIN-SON & CO., RUTHERFORD, N. J.” Another reads “DR. BUSHER’S / AUTOMATIC / INJECTOR / PAT. 1,845,O36.”
Ref: Herbert H. Busher, “Hypodermic Syringe,” U.S. Patent 1,845,036 (Feb. 16, 1932).
Herbert Busher, “Automatic Hypodermic Syringe for Self Administration of Insulin and Other Uses,” Journal of the American Medical Association 102 (1934): 1152.
Herbert Busher, “Automatic Hypodermic Injector,” Science 81 (1935): 256.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1932
patent date
1932-02-16
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
MG.M-07852
catalog number
M-07852
accession number
223292
patent number
US1845036A
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Bifurcated needle for small pox immunization. The needle is used by dipping it into the vaccine and then pricking the skin repeatedly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2007
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
2007.0198.084
accession number
2007.0198
catalog number
2007.0198.084
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Becton, Dickinson and Company
ID Number
1980.0186.154
catalog number
1980.0186.154
accession number
1980.0186

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